My friend has no med insurance and has a really bad respiratory infection what should she do?

I have googled free clinics in my area. Is there any other resources that you can think of to help her?
Thanks!

If she is poor and truly in need of medical attention, then they should go to the local ER, then go and apply for Medicade at their local social services department.

As long as she qualifies and she applies with in the same month of the visit to the ER, the Medicade will act retroactively back.

Check your state for low-income heath benefits (welfare).

If she gets really bad take her to the emergency room they can treat her and refer her to someone. Don't wait too long.

Go to the Emergency room at your local hospital. They will have to treat her. Worry about paying later.

go to the emergency room,sometimes hospitals have free presciptions if they have a pharmacy...or call the welfare office to see about prescrpition assistance

There has to be a hospital nearby that treats people without insurance. They can't refuse you service. If necessary, he/she can apply for state aid to get the bill paid for and just work out some kind of payment plan. Go to the ER!

go to the emergency room...if she is below poverty level...they will disregard her fees.

drink a lot of water and can take golden seal and echinacea, two herbs you can get at walmart........

i've got bronchitis and i'm going today to get some.......

but if it's pneumonia, don't mess with that, go to the ER

If its really bad, go to the emergency room, and figure out the rest later. If its any help, these are figures from my local paramedic unit

70% of the patients have medical insurance. Of these, the private insurance only pays 90% of the bill. The unit eats the rest.

Medicare only pays about 70% of the bill, often the unit eats that too
Medicaid only pays about 50%

The uninsured, we eat that too, but we'll still treat you.

Get your friend better, figure out how to pay for it later.

go to the hospital. they cannot turn anyone away.

take him/her to any hospital Emergancy Room, the law requires the ER to treat anybody that shows up there.

The county ER if you live in the states....They will bill her, but if she can't afford to pay, she can't afford to pay...Make sure she tells the ER doctor that she has little money for prescriptions,(antibiotics are really expensive) so he will give her a shot and a more common older antibiotic that is less expensive...Generally the older known medications are cheaper than the latest greatest drugs.....If they hospitalize her then she will get IV antibiotics which is the best.....Good luck to her...

She has to do a risk-benefit analysis. If she has a horrible cold and goes to the emergency department, she's going to wind up with a substantial bill basically for nothing. If she has pneumonia and doesn't get treated, or if her oxygen level gets too low even from a nasty bronchitis, she could be flirting with death. But all hospital emergency departments will do a screening exam regardless of ability to pay, and work out a payment schedule later. If I had chest pain, shortness of breath and fever I'd worry about the money later.